The grass is always greener
by Aerith Tsukiyomi
Summary: (After Tamer's end) The happily ever after didn't happen. So our heroes were searching for somewhere to rest, however they find a familiar place...Meanwhile Impmon was being himself all alone.


_Greetings, you may call me Aerith. For a long time, I been wanting to write something, but I am such a coward on uploading one, doubting my skill, specially that English is not my native language._

 _However, re-watching for the third time, Digimon Tamers was the little push I needed. So I ended writing one, centered in my favorite mon, and what happened after the last episode. I wish there were more material about my favorite season, I don't know if a second season is a good idea._

 _This is my first time uploading here, so any critique is welcome, so I can learn more, but don't be harsh please. I repeat, English is not my first language so you could find some awkward things here._

 _Disclaimer – I do not own Digimon the franchise. I make no claim of ownership. I'm just a fan wanting to explore and play more about this universe and its habitants._

 _hr_

 **The grass is always greener.**

A certain purple imp was sulking near the lake, lazily he took a pebble and throw it at the water, with his luck and moodiness, the rock just sank instead of doing the little hops.

"This sucks", he didn't groan because of an insignificant rock. No, his awful humor wasn't because of physics laws.

He groaned again. Frustration, anger and sadness filled his mind. He clutched his small gloved hand and punched the ground.

He missed them. He needed them, and he was sure they needed him as well.

Oh how badly he missed the kids.

"Great, just great", mumbled himself," when things started going smoothly, when I _finally_ was Ai and Mako's partner...", he tossed another pebble and watched it disappear in the puddle, "then shit happens."

Remembering how after failing saving Jeri, the children were dead worried over the virus digimon, and after a whole session of 'mushy stuff and water works' (the little devil swore he was no different from a napkin), a sphere of light appeared before the trio. The apparition of a white and purple digivice matching the digital monster was the confirmation of their partnership. A big proof that the youngster were his Tamers.

After all the things Impmon has been through: leaving the Ai and Makoto behind, wandering alone, being humiliated and beaten, then going as a killing machine and screwing everything, then being sparred thanks to a gentle and brave girl, returning to the Human world to reunite with his kids and to fight a giant pink goo to save said girl. Even if he failed, he tried. He tried really hard. Even if his attempts weren't enough, he knew the Tamers could do it. And they did. And lastly he was officially Ai and Makoto's digimon.

For him, everything went alright.

Furthermore, Jeri was glad he was okay. That was the top of the cake. The same girl that he killed her partner and absorbed the date, the same girl that stopped Gallantmon from finishing the Demon Lord, the same girl he tried to save her from D-Reaper, was worried for him.

It was unbelievable. He didn't understand how can somebody so merciful and gentle, especially if was somebody who was hurt the most of his actions (Hell, he _killed_ her partner right before her eyes).

How can she forgive him, despite everything he did?

 _Despite he killed Leomon, he didn't feel remorse that time. He was just a hungry monster. He should just be dead, right after Gallantmon's lance pierced his heart, right after his data evaporated in the thin air seen by all the hateful eyes, but…_

She screamed stop. To stop his ultimate punishment. To give him a second chance.

The girl truly was a lionheart.

He wasn't certain how but he got a happy ending, a one he didn't deserve it counting, well, everything he did, yet… he was forgiven.

Tears were almost shed, until _that_ happened.

The 'Happily Ever After' that everyone fought hard, turned bittersweet.

The digimons had to left the human world, otherwise every single thing they did to protect both worlds would be in vain.

Despite of that, no one wanted everything to end like this. Nobody wanted to left their partners.

It really sucked.

Impmon didn't know if to laugh or pound more the ground. He decided to separate from the rest of the group for a while, to give himself a time to think. The group agreed to make a stop and take a break, since they found a quiet area different than the desolated desert to stay. Besides it was better than wandering around without anywhere to go.

The swamp was such peaceful, it was surely a miracle that the deleter program didn't taint it, however it was unsettling for the other digimons. Apparently, a group of gekomons lived here, yet still no amphibian was seen. The metallic digital monster, Guardromon, grew anxious as time passed and no sign of the amicable frogs have been present. Despite they were mean to him when as Andromon fought constantly Orochimon and failed, damaging the gekomon's alcohol factory, yet he still cared for them and he missed their routine to happily sing beside the lake.

However, instead of the songs of harmony, only the wind was heard.

Impmon heard Guilmon trying to console the robotic digimon, claiming that they could still be somewhere, maybe resting after the battle against D-Reaper. Nevertheless, Lopmon expressed his doubts, calling back the apocalyptic scenes they saw when they were in the other world. If the prideful Holy Bird Zhuqiaomon was one of the few survivors battling against their common enemy. What was left to the others? regardless being in their most powerful level (Mega), if the Digimon Sovereigns had difficulties defeating the menacing software, what hope was there that the frogs survived?

It was simple. None. They were dead, the imp concluded.

It was stupid to have false hope, when it was evident that any remaining digimon or thing was erased. No matter how time they wasted, no matter how much they walked hoping to find

something or somebody, only despair was found.

Marineangemon cuddled beside Guardromon, comforting said digimon and the same time Lopmon apologized for destroying his hopes. The red dinosaur digimon didn't know what to do and not only he felt sad for his friend, he felt useless and impotent at the situation, due to incapable of doing something for the frogs, the Digital World and for Guardromon.

"This place has not suffered anything from D-Reaper", commented the fox digimon," that means that the gekomons did the impossible to protect their home and succeeded." Renamon glanced at the robotic digimon, "I can imagine what you feel Guardromon, but think this: they died protecting what was most important to them, then we should respect their wishes. Just remember when they sang together, remember their happy faces and wishes."

"Renamon is right, just look at this place!" Terriermon happily nodded.

"Beautiful, beautiful!" Calumon echoed, while dancing around Hirokazu's digimon.

Both digimon dinosaurs digimon, Guilmon and Monodramon (mostly following Takato's partner), happily chanted (or tried) the song that the amphibians sang.

Meanwhile the imp just scoffed and decided to be a bit far of them. He didn't remember any gekomons, maybe he killed some on his crazy rampage as Beelzemon, maybe not. Either way he didn't fit in a happy and peaceful place like the lake. So he decided to get a bit more far away from the group…

Scouting around the forest, he found another point near the lake, lonelier than the previous one, where the rest was preparing a grave with pretty flowers, or something corny like that, Impmon thought.

And that is where the purple digimon was sulking.

The breeze gently touched the little devil's face as he squinted his face when a twilight ray hit his eyes. He shut his peepers and many memories were brought to his mind. Many ones he regretted.

"Then again, If I wasn't such a big idiot, I could be their partner way sooner..."

"Took you a long time to admit it", exclaimed a high-pitched voice from the tall grass. It was easy to guess who could be.

"Go away bunny-boy. I'm not in the mood", growled the annoyed imp.

"Lately you're never with good mood, and I'm not a bunny," said Terriermon at the same time his ears raised up, "I'm a dog".

"Huh, now I understand," replied Impmon without looking at the other digimon," why your breath stinks".

"How rude, hmph!" pouted the canine, "and here I was trying to be nice and cheer you up!"

"Cheer me? Why? Are you tryin' to say I'm the only one like bein' like dis?"

"N-No but..." before Terriermon could respond, Impmon already continued his assault, "Don't fool yourself, everyone is mopey and miserable!"

He knows best. Behind the false smiles and sickly optimism, was the sadness and a mix of anger and tiredness. Their body heavies for the long and exhausting fight for saving both worlds, and walking and walking around finding a somehow cozy place to pass the night.

Both digimons remembered how they came.

* * *

Landing with a thud in a desert and hot wasteland, was not the best welcome to the Digital World, especially if it was the same the way, the same place when they came with their partners. It was an understatement.

It didn't help that the whole place was still recovering from the D-Reaper. The barren plains looked deader and depressing than before, and it was possible, since the pink goo deleted a forty percentage of this world.

Worse is that they were stuck in their in-training form.

"Well, it could be worse," one of them tried to be positive

"Ouch, that fall really hurts."

Impmon (as Yaamon) did recall how he returned the first time. Battered and bruised, with a self-esteem under six feet ground.

He fell from the sky like a shooting star.

So fallen from grace, his broken pride

"The Goodbye hurt more though..." Another voice was heard, nobody cared who said, but what it was said.

The truth.

"Right."

Some sobs were heard, some just stared at the sky for the time being.

The sky was the same as when they landed for the first time. Even if the lights were bright, even the sky was a beautiful blue, none it mattered.

Only the big green sphere known as Earth. Everything else was dull, everything else was grey to them.

Only the Earth mattered.

Only their loved ones mattered.

Loved ones that they never ever going to see them again.

* * *

"Terriermon." He was asking himself when she would appear. She habitually was present when he was in trouble. The always pestering golden fox was there for him always.

"That is enough. Go on and rest,"

"Momentai, I know you're the best dealing with impulsive and arrogant types," the kitsune just glanced at Terriermon for the reference to a certain red haired girl.

"Don't took personal Terriermon" Renamon advised Terriermon, "and don't try to hide your pain from the others too."

"The same could be said to you" The canine digimon rarely whispered, but the penetrating eyes of the fox could read everything about him in that instant.

After Terriermon left the two digimon alone, Renamon just laid near the imp. She patiently stayed there.

"Do I need to put a sign that says 'Do not disturb Impmon' or something, so you guys can leave me alone?"

Renamon just sighed.

Minutes passed.

And more minutes passed.

The imp could swear that were hours that passed.

Ever the impatient, the purple rookie asked the fox, "so what's your plan now? Bored me to death?"

Emerald irises met icy blue.

"I'm just giving you the chance to spit all your feelings…"

"Spit my what?"

"I'm lending my ears" sighed for the eleventh time the kitsune.

"O-okay." Impmon just sighed, he had a lot in mind to say, however he wasn't prepared to say things so personal and intimate to anybody, even to somebody who always helped him. It was a pride thing. "You already know it, anyways… my past, my regrets, my everything!", almost shouted Impmon but he could control it at the last minute.

"I see, but I think something more is tormenting you…"

"What is dis? Do you have an All-Seeing-eye or something foxie?"

At this Renamon couldn't help but a chuckle a bit. The little devil always found a way to make things lighter with his humor.

"Holy shit, you're smiling!" Couldn't believe his eyes! Renamon was smiling!

"Anyway… your decisions are what causes your anguish?" Renamon broke in, is was unusual that somebody else caught her smiles. Mostly them were reserved for her tamer. Yet she was feeling content that she is opening to others, hopeful the imp could do the same.

"Yeah somehow…" Whispered Impmon.

"Do you remember that Jeri forgive you? That we all forgive you and now you're with us now?

"Is not just that…" Impmon looked at his own hands, red gloves fitting for a someone like him, a murderer, "I can't forgive myself for… wasting my time in wanting more power… to prove myself…"

"But I all needed was to beside my kids… Ai and Mako…" His ears were down, showing how much sadness he has in his heart. "All of you guys could stay, a lot more than me, with your tamers, but I…"

"You…envy us?" Renamon concluded.

"Pretty much." Maybe it was Renamon's imagination, but the characteristic Southern accent that other rookie had was fading as he talked more about himself.

"I see."

A minute of silence passed.

"I miss them, I really do." Impmon said as tiredly possible "And I can't help it feel this way towards everyone else. If I could have stopped at that time, if only I wasn't so…so-"

"Impmon," the kitsune stopped the imp before he started to self-deprecation himself. Not only she saw all the pain in the other's green eyes, but she couldn't stand watch the little devil say hurtful things, recalling darker times and drowning in self-hate.

"To be honest…there was a time I was jealous of you." Confessed the fox digimon.

"W-what?!" Impmon just couldn't catch a break, Renamon was full of surprises today.

"There was a time, when Rika and I couldn't understand each other, I wished to be free like you.

She could feel the green-eyed stare from the imp boring into her skull, "yes I envied you at that time, things were chaotic and I wished so bad to take a breath, but then I wouldn't have stayed with Rika."

"See? In the end you guys could stay with their tamers longer that I was!"

"Yes, but we also got some troubles before settling down," retorted Renamon and she wasn't finished, "and some of us didn't spend much time with the tamers. Look at Marineangemon."

"The pink puff with wings?" Impmon barely could remember but said 'pink puff' joined the team after Renamon and Rika found him broken in the desert.

Renamon just nodded with her head. Meanwhile Impmon thought about that time when the girls rescued him.

"I never said thanks for that time, when you guys found me…."

"Is not necessary, Impmon" said Renamon, "so about your jealousy…"

* * *

Guilmon was searching around for more flowers to put in the grave, what he found near the lake wasn't flowers but instead two of his comrades in battle, Renamon and Impmon. For a moment he was going to call for them, yet watching them resting in eachother's arms was enough to tell him to leave them alone. He wasn't dumb, he could tell the situations (but thanks to Takato's guide)

Speaking of Takato, how was him? Was he missing him too? Hopefully he is eating a lot of bread for the two.

* * *

Renamon opened just one eye to watch the sleeping form of Impmon, apparently he was too tired after venting all of his feelings.

He was jealous, huh?

Like some said 'The grass is always greener...'

* * *

 _Ar..err…did I get right the characters?_


End file.
